OH THE HUMANITY!
Some sick bastard formulated a rubber that over time turns into butyl mastic tar like tragedy. So, a job I figured would take 20 minutes turned into a couple of hours and some non-handle related anxiety.
Parts required: Replacement hatch switch cover, There are only 3 non-Toyota replacement parts I've used to far. This cover the Driver fender liner and splash guard.
Parts to have on hand: Trim clips 90467-A0006. I purchased 10 but only needed 2. I mangled 1 and 1 was missing. I prefer to have extras.
Tools required: Plastic trim removal tool
10mm socket and ratchet or 10mm wrench
Phillips screw driver
Heat gun or blow dryer, not necessary but helpful
Razor knife, also not necessary but helpful
Other Stuff to have on hand:
Plastic scraper
Small stiff bristle nylon brush
WD40
Rags or paper towels
Small flat blade screwdriver
Step 1: Open hatch.
Step 2: Use trim tool to remove trim above window.
Step 3: Remove Passenger side vertical window trim using trim tool.
Step 4: Use trim tool to remove the clip at the top corner of the Driver side vertical window trim piece.
Step 5: Using the trim tool, pry the driver side vertical window trim clips loose and work the trim piece over the ball of the hatch lift strut, rotate out of the way of the lower panel.
Step 6: Remove the hatch pull strap plastic cover, this is pushed upward from the bottom, it has a clip that sits in a fork on the strap bracket.
Step 7: Using your 10mm ratchet or wrench, remove the pull strap bolt.
Step 8: Use your trim tool to go around the perimeter of the hatch panel and pop the retaining clips out. There is one clip hidden about 1/3 the way over from the passenger side at the centerline of the panel.
Step 9: Carefully remove the vapor barrier. This is where a heat gun, blow dryer or razor knife comes in handy. If it's cold out you can probably cut the butyl sealant, if it isn't cold you can heat the plastic around the butyl sealant to soften it enough to peel away nicely.
Step 10: Unplug the hatch handle
Step 11: Remove the 2 10mm nuts holding the handle to the hatch.
Step 12: Rotate the handle and manipulate it free of the hatch
Step 13: Using the trim tool or a small flat blade screwdriver, carefully pry the outside tabs that connect the hatch handle trim cover to the switch, pull the switch away from the trim as you pry on the tab.
Step 14: Clean the old handle cover tar off the switch. This is where you may need a scraper, WD40 and a brush. You see, the hatch handle is just a simple switch, like a limit switch on a 3d printer, It is placed inside a plastic housing with a spring and a large plastic bar that acts as the button, that button has a metal rail along the length that pivots and keeps it rocking to one side or the other. The hatch handle stops working because the rubber cover turns to a tar and as you use the handle it forces tar around that button and it ceases to move as it should. I know this because I had to completely remove the button and spring and clean the switch housing and button to get it to move properly.
I won't bore you with Installation as you can just follow the above steps in reverse to assemble.
The non- handle related anxiety was that I pulled the rear trim panel to find that the hatch had been previously molested. The backup camera had been replaced with an aftermarket unit and the wiring was grotesque. I'm talking random non-factory wire A that went to nowhere, some Random heavy gauge speaker wire used to wire up the camera...including using it as the RCA/ video in wire. It passes through the grommet into the cab and I'm honestly pretty frightened about the aftermarket head unit now. I've seen and dealt with dozens of "Installers" abortions and a good indicator of asshattery is usually something like this.
When I had a shop A car would come in on a flatbed with all kinds of crazy issues and every imaginable light flashing just to find out a "Stereo Installer" had recently installed a head unit. I've replaced 10's of thousands of dollars in wiring harnesses and body control modules from these people. More often than not I've seen factory stereo plugs removed and the head unit wired in directly, incorrectly, with everything from butt splice crimps, wire nuts, just electrical tape or just tape....whatever was on hand. A few cars were so tragic I asked for the invoice because I thought for sure the owner had done it.
Anyway, now I have to trace down this abortion of a wiring job and remove it and check the head unit before the replacement gets here so I know whether or not I need to hunt down factory plugs and terminals and whether or not the original camera wiring is still there and intact. That will be another post.
Some sick bastard formulated a rubber that over time turns into butyl mastic tar like tragedy. So, a job I figured would take 20 minutes turned into a couple of hours and some non-handle related anxiety.
Parts required: Replacement hatch switch cover, There are only 3 non-Toyota replacement parts I've used to far. This cover the Driver fender liner and splash guard.
Parts to have on hand: Trim clips 90467-A0006. I purchased 10 but only needed 2. I mangled 1 and 1 was missing. I prefer to have extras.
Tools required: Plastic trim removal tool
10mm socket and ratchet or 10mm wrench
Phillips screw driver
Heat gun or blow dryer, not necessary but helpful
Razor knife, also not necessary but helpful
Other Stuff to have on hand:
Plastic scraper
Small stiff bristle nylon brush
WD40
Rags or paper towels
Small flat blade screwdriver
Step 1: Open hatch.
Step 2: Use trim tool to remove trim above window.
Step 3: Remove Passenger side vertical window trim using trim tool.
Step 4: Use trim tool to remove the clip at the top corner of the Driver side vertical window trim piece.
Step 5: Using the trim tool, pry the driver side vertical window trim clips loose and work the trim piece over the ball of the hatch lift strut, rotate out of the way of the lower panel.
Step 6: Remove the hatch pull strap plastic cover, this is pushed upward from the bottom, it has a clip that sits in a fork on the strap bracket.
Step 7: Using your 10mm ratchet or wrench, remove the pull strap bolt.
Step 8: Use your trim tool to go around the perimeter of the hatch panel and pop the retaining clips out. There is one clip hidden about 1/3 the way over from the passenger side at the centerline of the panel.
Step 9: Carefully remove the vapor barrier. This is where a heat gun, blow dryer or razor knife comes in handy. If it's cold out you can probably cut the butyl sealant, if it isn't cold you can heat the plastic around the butyl sealant to soften it enough to peel away nicely.
Step 10: Unplug the hatch handle
Step 11: Remove the 2 10mm nuts holding the handle to the hatch.
Step 12: Rotate the handle and manipulate it free of the hatch
Step 13: Using the trim tool or a small flat blade screwdriver, carefully pry the outside tabs that connect the hatch handle trim cover to the switch, pull the switch away from the trim as you pry on the tab.
Step 14: Clean the old handle cover tar off the switch. This is where you may need a scraper, WD40 and a brush. You see, the hatch handle is just a simple switch, like a limit switch on a 3d printer, It is placed inside a plastic housing with a spring and a large plastic bar that acts as the button, that button has a metal rail along the length that pivots and keeps it rocking to one side or the other. The hatch handle stops working because the rubber cover turns to a tar and as you use the handle it forces tar around that button and it ceases to move as it should. I know this because I had to completely remove the button and spring and clean the switch housing and button to get it to move properly.
I won't bore you with Installation as you can just follow the above steps in reverse to assemble.
The non- handle related anxiety was that I pulled the rear trim panel to find that the hatch had been previously molested. The backup camera had been replaced with an aftermarket unit and the wiring was grotesque. I'm talking random non-factory wire A that went to nowhere, some Random heavy gauge speaker wire used to wire up the camera...including using it as the RCA/ video in wire. It passes through the grommet into the cab and I'm honestly pretty frightened about the aftermarket head unit now. I've seen and dealt with dozens of "Installers" abortions and a good indicator of asshattery is usually something like this.
When I had a shop A car would come in on a flatbed with all kinds of crazy issues and every imaginable light flashing just to find out a "Stereo Installer" had recently installed a head unit. I've replaced 10's of thousands of dollars in wiring harnesses and body control modules from these people. More often than not I've seen factory stereo plugs removed and the head unit wired in directly, incorrectly, with everything from butt splice crimps, wire nuts, just electrical tape or just tape....whatever was on hand. A few cars were so tragic I asked for the invoice because I thought for sure the owner had done it.
Anyway, now I have to trace down this abortion of a wiring job and remove it and check the head unit before the replacement gets here so I know whether or not I need to hunt down factory plugs and terminals and whether or not the original camera wiring is still there and intact. That will be another post.
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